Why EnerChange?

EnerChange exists to help nonprofits save money by saving energy. We conduct FREE assessments of your facilities to help you find ways to save energy. And even more importantly, we work with you all the way through implementation of solutions, guiding you through all the challenges and nuances.
That means our no-cost service is hassle-free for you.

We’ve audited more than a thousand buildings and we’ve consistently found ways to save in every single building.

Satisfied Customers

“The quality of our lighting improved from day one and the savings we have experienced have been significant and have met or exceeded your predictions. Savings after one year are nearly $9,500.” …

“Thanks to the various services provided by Enerchange, we were able to develop an improvement plan that will allow us to preserve our affordable housing properties, enhance our buildings’ performance and save money by reducing energy costs. ”….

”Since refitting our parking lot lights with high-efficiency, energy saving units we’ve seen not only improved lighting and energy savings, but peace of mind and a higher sense of security in our parishioners”…

Frequently Asked Questions

We mean it when we say there’s no cost for our services to our clients. There’s a reason we’re “free” to you. The Conservation Improvement Program (CIP), a collaborative venture involving Minnesota Utility Ratepayers, the MN Department of Commerce (Division of Energy Resources), Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy, provides funding to EnerChange that allows us to provide our services at no cost to our clients.

What exactly does EnerChange do to help us with energy efficiency? Mmenzel
2018-06-07T19:01:06+00:00

Please see What We Do on this site for a full description, but briefly, we look at your energy use histories for the stories they tell and then we take a look at your building shell, HVAC systems, lighting, and plug loads looking for opportunities to save energy. With that information, we then propose measures that can be implemented to reduce energy use.

Once we get your permission to (1) access your energy usage data (just a couple of clicks), we can (2) schedule and conduct an assessment at your facility. That assessment typically takes 2 – 3 hours, depending on the complexities we discover. Then, after processing the information from the Assessment, approximately 2 weeks later, (3) we will provide you with a Report detailing your options. From that point, we work with you on (4) implementation of the recommended efficiency measures which, as you can understand, totally depends on the extent of your decision to proceed.

What will I have to do to prepare for EnerChange? Mmenzel
2018-06-07T19:03:23+00:00

Really nothing except agreeing to allow us into the process. Once you give us permission to access your usage history, we take it from there. One of the most important things our clients appreciate is that we take the hassle and mystery out of the process for you. All you need to do is make certain decisions we present to you, allowing us to continue forward.

If there are equipment costs or facility upgrades recommended, can EnerChange help with the financing? Mmenzel
2018-06-07T19:03:53+00:00

Yes. We provide a cafeteria of financing options informed by our history with nonprofits. Most of our clients are determined to avoid any debt financing. We have therefore, become expert at finding highly attractive ways to help with painless forms of paying for achieving energy efficiency AND doing the right thing for the environment at the same time.

Is it all worth the time and effort? Mmenzel
2018-06-07T19:04:16+00:00

Absolutely, and on more than one level. 1) Our clients are currently averaging savings approximating $4,000 annually. That means that you’re reducing dollars going out the door as “expenses” and increasing dollars available for program issues. 2) Often lost in this discussion is that these savings continue into perpetuity – they’re not just one-year savings. 3) You will be doing the environment a great service as well, contributing to a significant reduction of carbon emissions in the process. 4) Everyone who is involved in the process learns valuable lessons that can be applied in other areas of their lives. Your Board Members, your management team, your staff, along with the family members at all those levels create a highly beneficial ripple effect that will be a source of great pride.